Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1887-05-24
THE BEGINNINGS OF SPRINGFIELD'>
GREAT INDUSTRIES.

CITY, Ol aA,UbJ 10 Iu.uuu pS'pit. wa" -
''grist mill" built simultaneously with
Springfeld's first school honSe and church,
in 1904: in 1905 the second productive con
cern, and the first which might be called
factory, was a tannery built by Cooper I.ud-
low. Much use was made OF powder In
these primitive pioneer days. and by way
of supplying home demand by home
supply. powder mill was built and worked.
in 1909 -SpIingfield'S first newspaper.
then known as the FGrmcr, and now a. the
REPUBLlC, making its appearance in 1871.
In this same year, A. another means OF
meeting a home demand for material Tor
mems and women'S clothing, Maddox
Fisher put up and worked a factory for the
production of cotton fabrics, and in that
year also Jacob Woodward. Ira Paige aud
James Taylor commenced the manufacture
of WOODEN cloth, to meet want
that hat. certainly, not been very
erected for this mill was afterward used by
Jacob W. and William A. Kills, for the
manufacture of printing papers. \ few
wears since il was reconstructed and en-
Iarged by MarsiieId Steele, and il is now
occupied by the Standard Manufacturing
Company. for the manufacture OF dining
tables. II stands on north Center street.
between Columbia and North streets.
At this same time flax was largely cuItl-
vated. 10 provide the fiber for tow and
linen cloth, generally worn 10y the men.
women and children Of the period. IN warm
weather, and that the seed might be util-
ized Griflith Fo0s. who built the first tar-
rrn in Springfield, in lS0%l. erected and
cred by the system of workshops owned by
the Champion Machine company.
In iSSs, James Lefiel. whose name should
b,. hunored here and elsewhere. as Spring
fields great pioneer inventor and manGfar-
turrr. built the first foundry and machine
shop ever erected in this vicinity. on tn
south side of west Main street, opposite the
first bridge over Buck creek, or the lagon-
IA. Here Sickles. axes and knives were
manufactured and various iron implements
in use among the people were repaired. Hr.
I.-ffel afterward invented the double tur-
bine water wheel. which was improved by
his son-in-law, John W. Bookwalter. and is
now manufactured 10y the firm Of james
L.tffel n Co, in this city. and sent 10 all
points of the globe.
In ls4l Samuel and James Barnett built
large Touring mill on the Barnett by
iraulic, on what is now known as Warder
street. in Springfield, and this concern
having recently been changed into roller
mill. is now run and managed 10y the heirs
of the late William Warder and Mr.. VII
liam ( Barnett, son of the late Samuel Bar
nett. one of the builders of the mill.
In ls4S John 4. Pitts came here from
Buffalo, New York and laid the ioUnda-
ton of the extensive Engine and lhreSher
works, now standing on the south side III
Na,trr street
"a lSia was born the great Champion
( IN iustry. William \. Whiteley having in
that wear invented the Champion reaper
and mower. which by Iss. has come Ia be
much the largest and most important Sn-
! gl.. harvester industry in the world. The
| firms OF Whiteley. FasSer y Kelly, the
| Champion Machine company, the Champion
! Bar and Knife company, the Champion
/ Malleable iron company. the Champion
| steel mills and the Wartier, Bushnell \
/ GleSSner company are all employed IN
manufacturing. in part or a. a whole, the
Champion haryesters, and employ 4,Ooa
men in the various manufacturing processes
required in producing these machines.
| In 1850 the l.agonda Agricultural Works
were organized. They now form an inn
pnrtant part of the system OF Champion
harvester shops. and with machine shops,
woodshopS. malleahle iron foundrleS, bai
and knife shops. ware houses, etc, form ~
themselves one of the largest factories in
Z, America B. II. Wardrr and 4. ;. Bushnell
of Springfield. and John J. GleSsner. lui
| Chicago. are the owners.
In IS55 7. VI. Mast. John ii. Thomas
and John NJ. Deardortf. organized, on
Warder streets a factory for the production
Of the Buckeye Grain Drill. out Of thl'
concern ultimately grew the manufacturing
concerns of 2. 7. Mast n Co. Mast, Foo
Il Co, Superior Drill company, Thomas "A
Sons Rake Works and the Tricycle. factory
all now large and prosperous concerns.
In addition To- these concerns mentioned
there are sixty to seventy large factories in
the city and all in a pros porous conditions.
The products of these factories are, besides
grain and grass harveSters, grain drills,
water wheels and the parts of these lmple'
ments. cultivatorS. cider mills. wind EN-
gines. feed cutters. pumps. lawr
mowers. plows. sewing machines. iroI
fencing. horse hay rakeS. hay tedders, corI
drills and harrows, bench and tub clothes
wripgerS, burial cases of various kinds,
grave vaults, malleable and gray iron. steam
engines and steam pumps, linseed OIL. OF
cake. paints. buggy and dash holdings
steam boilers and sheet iron products
| heating furnaces, wrapping paper. booK'
and periodicals. wheel-barrows. bicycles
tricycIes, willow wagons, coaches, buggie'
and carriages, ale. beer. whisky, soap
crackers. galvanized iron, products, leather
etc. etc. From 1000 to 5000 men ar,
employed in these factories.
Springfield is, in 1887, one oi the mos
commercially solid and prosperous
as it is certainly one of the mos
beautiful inland cities OF Amer
lea. With a population of but about
35. .Oo0-poSsibly iOOOU-she has fame
exceeding that of many cities four times hel
size. Not only are the products of hei
great factories known and used. largely. II
an parts of America. but also III Grea
Britain, and in France, Germany, Russia
I'll \ & !